TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nippon Steel ( NISTF ) on Monday declined to comment on U.S. President Donald Trump's statement that no one can have a majority stake in U.S. Steel.

Trump made the statement on Sunday when speaking to reporters on Air Force One.

On Friday, Trump said Nippon Steel's ( NISTF ) $14.9 billion bid for U.S. Steel would take the form of an investment instead of a purchase, even as two sources familiar with the matter said the Japanese steel company had not withdrawn its bid.

It was unclear if the investment referred to a new deal structure and what the details of the transaction would be, but Trump said on Friday he would meet with the head of Nippon Steel ( NISTF ) this week and he would be involved "to mediate and arbitrate."

(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)